I enjoy reading news outlets from beyond the US borders. The Vatican media is telling its readers that Catholics will decide the US elections. Pennsylvania Catholics are shifting to the president by five percentage points, at least, from four years ago. Thanks to that, there’s no swinging in the keystone state. About one-third of registered Iowa voters have already submitted ballots. I see lots of hand wringing over bishops getting into the political fray, but a few things on that:

Lots of Catholics have already voted. I like early voting because it throws expectations out the window, and makes partisan campaigning close to Election Day even more irrelevant.

Let the bishops speak. I don’t have any problem with them chasing alienated Catholics into doing the exact opposite of what they’re being asked to do. These bishops don’t realize that even Catholics who agree with them don’t like them and don’t like how they conduct themselves as governors of the Church. It’s going to take a lot more than being on the winning side in an election. Or the right side.

about Todd Flowerday

A Roman Catholic lay person, married (since 1996), with one adopted child (since 2001). I serve in worship and spiritual life in a midwestern university parish.

about John Donaghy

John is a lay missionary since 2007 with a parish in western Honduras. Before that he served in campus ministry and social justice ministry in Iowa. His ministry blog is http://hermanojuancito.blogspot.com

He also blogs reflections on the lectionary and saints/heroes/events of the date at http://walktheway.wordpress.com

He'll be a long-term contributor here analyzing the Latin American bishops' document from their 2007 Aparecida Conference.